


Journey Through The Chakras

by PepperidgeFarmRemembers



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperidgeFarmRemembers/pseuds/PepperidgeFarmRemembers
Summary: Kataang story that starts on Aang and Katara's wedding day. features canon ships and other characters. A story of vignettes that show events in Aang and Katara's life that touch on each chakra.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar)
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Grounded.

Aang stood at his bedside and tied the red sash around his tunic, giving it a slight tug to keep it in place. He took a full breath, exhaling forcefully as if he was fogging up a mirror. The airbender looked out the window and gazed at the sunrise. Being a firebender, he usually feels excited in the morning, but not today. He felt the tingling of nerves flowing through his limbs causing slight soreness in his legs. He felt like he could float away. At this moment, he gave a weak smile to his beautiful fiancee who was still sleeping in bed. His mind began to race through many different scenarios, all of which kept reminding him of times when he could not protect the ones he loved. He felt afraid that marrying Katara meant that whatever danger he faced as the Avatar would bleed into her life, too. He replayed over and over memories of his friends, his race, and his culture being targeted and destroyed because of who he was. “Is it safe to bring Katara into my life knowing she will never be safe?” he pondered. He walked outside barefoot, feeling the earth beneath his feet at every step. In the distance amongst green rolling hills and broken rocks, he saw Toph digging her toes into the dirt, sighing loudly and fully.

Aang wobbled as he walked over to Toph, feeling unsure of his movement in every step. Before he could properly announce his presence, she exclaimed in true Toph fashion “Mornin’ Twinkle Toes!” He heartily laughed and waved at the happy earthbender. Aang sat down next to Toph and greeted her glumly, “Hey, Toph”. He fixated on a tree in the forest, trying to gain a sense of stability. Toph continued to dig her feet into the dirt. The earthbender felt annoyed that she would have to give him a pep talk for his inevitable wedding anxiety. “I was trying to relax but I can’t because all I hear is your heart going a mile a minute! So let’s get it over with, what’s got you freaking out?” He continued to stare at the tree in the forest and sighed forcefully. “Do you ever feel that I put you in danger? Do you ever regret knowing me?”, Aang asked. 

Toph frowned quickly but resumed her smiling facade. She countered, “Look, Twinkle Toes, you make a lot of dumb decisions, but I wouldn’t be your friend if I didn’t trust you. If you remember, I had safety and security but I gave it away! I like adventure and I’m sure Katara does, too. That’s why we’re here”. Aang blushed and quickly remembered, “Katara? I didn’t say anything about Katara”. She laughed for a few moments and told him, “Oh man, you really think I don’t know you? You’re getting married today and you’re a nervous wreck! You’ve never been good at keeping cool before big life changing stuff”. He finally looked over to his friend, a smile forming on his mouth. “You know, you’re right! I did this right before the invasion.” His mind suddenly flashed back to his anxiety dreams, not being able to sleep, and constant worry about possibly not defeating Ozai. He shook his head at these memories and continued with a frown, “Ugh! That was so bad. You know, Monk Gyatso used to say to me ‘We can't concern ourselves with what was. We must act on what is.’ Sometimes I forget that. Being scared won’t help anybody and won’t make me feel more secure. We’re all safe now and that’s what I need to focus on. I know all of you wouldn’t fight with me if you didn’t want to be. Thank you, Toph.”

Aang smiled at Toph. Almost immediately she gives him a hearty punch on the arm. “Hey, whatever gets me some peace and quiet works for me!” She turned her head away from him, a small blush appearing on her cheeks. He continued to stare into the forest. She spoke after a few moments of silence. “Well, now that you’re feeling better, I’m going back to lying down. Nothing like solid ground to cure whatever ails ya." As she laid in the warm Earth, an idea struck Aang. He laid down next to his friend, feeling the pebbles and dust against his skin. As he took a long inhale, his mind began to imagine roots coming up from the ground and tightly wrapping around his body. He exhaled and felt steady for the first time all morning. Without moving, Toph spoke in an almost whisper, “Told ya."

As Aang walked to his room, he felt heavier, calmer. He felt like he could lay down for hours but knew he had to finish getting things ready for the wedding. As he reached for his bedroom door, Katara opened the door. He has become pretty good at reading the emotions on her face, and this one said “worried”. “Katara, before you say anything, I wanted to let you know that I’m sorry if I messed any of the planning up this morning. I needed to get out. Not because of you! I mean- because of me. Not anything bad! I mean- ughhhh” he groaned, walked inside the bedroom, and leaned his back against the wall. The waterbender's mind raced through worst case scenarios ‘Does he not want to marry me? Have I been too angry lately?’. “Aang, are you okay? I woke up and you weren’t here. I got nervous because you like to disappear before big life stuff”. He sighed and thought to himself ‘Wow, I guess I really do disappear a lot’”. “Katara, I’m okay, it’s just...I was nervous about what I would get you into with marrying me. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t putting you in danger. After hanging out with Toph, I realized that if you were scared of what it meant to marry the Avatar, then you wouldn’t be here.” 

Katara places her arms around Aang’s neck, looking into his gray eyes without breaking contact. “Aang, whatever happens, I know that it won’t be anyone’s fault. Years ago, I was scared about telling you how I really felt. Not because I was unsure, but because I thought that telling you would cause you to lose focus. I was scared that I would ruin your chance to fight Ozai. I was also scared of losing you. I see now that even if I lost you, my pain would have been much worse if you didn’t know how I felt.” As he looked into her tearful eyes, he wiped her tears with his thumbs and put his arms around her waist. He placed his forehead against her forehead and whispered, “I think I could’ve died happy knowing you loved me”. She blushed and kissed him softly, holding tightly and securely onto his neck. She leaned out of the kiss, continuing to look into his eyes. “Whatever you think you need to do to protect me, I promise it’s not worth it. I want you to be happy and I don’t want you to worry about me. I couldn’t live with that. I want us to just be”. He kissed her deeply and passionately for a few moments. He leaned back to admire her. He was overcome with the reality that someone so beautiful, caring, smart, and strong wants to spend the rest of their life with him. He hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, “I love you so much, Katara. I promise I’ll try to live in the present more.” Katara, finally smiling, whispered to Aang “I love you, too. No matter what happens in the world, I know I’ll always feel safe with you.”


	2. Intimacy

Intimacy

Inside the dining hall, the air is thick and damp. Katara leans into Aang's shoulder as a moment of peace floods her senses. She noticed how she felt with her new husband, overflowing with joy. She hoped this feeling would last forever. She and the airbender were surrounded by friends and family in her home of the Southern Water Tribe. A sea of blues and whites worn by their wedding guests crowded her view. She sighed deeply, resting further into Aang's shoulder. She continued to watch her party guests laugh, eat, and drink too much. She noticed her brother Sokka eating two plates of food, both with a different assortment of items. She laughed to herself, feeling very warm and flushed from her head to her toes. She remembered she had indulged in a lot of food and wine as well.

Aang's hand came up to rest upon Katara's head, lightly running his fingers through her hair. The waterbender's scent of citrus was the best smell in the world to him. He noticed the unsteadiness of his wife, chuckling to himself remembering how she thought she could keep up with Sokka's wine drinking. "I think you may need a lot of water and more bread", Aang said with a smile. All Katara could muster was a mumble of "I'm finer than almost everyone here. I'm not Zuko who threw up almost immediately after dinner. I can handle some wine. I'm fiiiiiine." Sokka took notice of his heavily tipsy sister and began to walk in her direction. Without tact or subtly, Sokka laughed "Katara, you're supposed to be the responsible one! Aang, how could you let this happen?" Aang opened his mouth to speak but was suddenly overshadowed by his wife's loud voice. "Sokka, I'm not Aang or anyone's responsibility! I can take care of myself! I'm fine and if you've forgotten, it's my wedding! I'd say you would know what that's like but you're taking your sweet time asking Suki to marry you!" Aang tightly closed his eyes, wishing he could melt out of his seat and vanish. Sokka frowned at Katara and crossed his arms. He spoke barely above a whisper "Hey, you don't have to go that far. I thought you would lighten up after some wine but you're still a wet blanket." He promptly walked away, sliding past Suki and out of the dining hall.

Aang straightened up in his seat and turned his face towards Katara. "Hey, let's go look at the water". She nodded and followed the airbender out of the party, holding his hand the whole way. Once the waterbender felt the icy breeze on her face, she exhaled into the night's air. Her husband interlaced his fingers with hers, walking until they reached the point where ice meets water. She leaned hard into her husband as he carefully pulled them down to sit on the ice. After a few moments of silence, she slipped her shoes off and dipped her feet into the frigid water. She breathed fully and slowly, noticing a rush of cold replacing the heat built up in her body. She felt clear headed and suddenly remembered her conversation with Sokka at their reception. She turned towards her husband and let out a groan. "I'm so ashamed, Aang. I always get over emotional and say the wrong thing. This was supposed to be a fun night. I'm sorry I ruined it." He pulled her close in a tight embrace, her face resting on his chest. "You're not over emotional, Katara. You feel your emotions strongly, but that's not a bad thing. That's why I love you." She spoke without moving from his chest, "Really?" "Really," he said, "but, maybe apologizing to Sokka wouldn't hurt either". She looked up at his face, sharing a smile with her husband. He continued, "I don't think feeling emotions is bad, but expressing emotions without thinking about how they make others feel can be hurtful. I think all of our friends have been where you are." She hugged him while resting her head on his chest.

Coming from the side of the dining hall, Sokka walked over to Katara and Aang. While he walked, he stared at the sea with his muscles tight around his face. Katara heard his footprints in the snow and turned around to see her brother, placing her feet back in her shoes. Before the words could form on her lips, Sokka held his hand up to speak. "Katara, I was being a jerk in there. To both you and Aang. I think I was a little jealous that my little sister got married before me." Katara's mouth hung open at the apology, stunned for a few moments. She held her brother's hand, "Thank you, Sokka. There really was no reason for me to react like that. I guess I felt like the one time I could not be "the mom" and act like everyone else, here you come along to make me feel guilty. I know you were just joking." Her brother sat down next to her and spoke firmly, "Yeah, but it was a bad joke. I should've just let you have a good time. I don't want you to ever feel ashamed to let loose. You deserve it for all the times you kept us alive and safe". The siblings smiled at each other.

The three of them stared into the water, letting the silence wash over them for a few moments. Katara wrapped her arms around her husband, radiating with joy. She turned to look at Aang, "Thank you for being so forgiving with me. I always forget how mature you are for your age. I love you." The airbender said, "I love you, too. I hope you can forgive yourself. You know, this has been the happiest day of my life, second to when you found me five years ago. Your compassion brought me back to the world, twice. I hope you continue to feel your emotions because I don't know where I'd be without you." He kissed her softly on her lips. Sokka groaned, "Oogies! You had to ruin a perfect family moment." She whipped her head around to glare at her brother, "If anyone deserves endless oogies tonight, it's us!". Sokka smiled widely at his sister and his brother-in-law, "Okay, okay, you're right. Oogies are acceptable tonight only. Think of it as a wedding gift". Katara and Aang both rolled their eyes. The new husband and wife stood up and turned towards each other. "Come on, Aang, let's go take advantage of our wedding gift", she said with a smile. Her brother screamed and covered his ears, "Ughh! You just love torturing me don't you?" The couple laughed, both wanting to freeze this moment in time.


	3. Confidence

Confidence

A sluggish Zuko literally bumped into Aang and Katara on their way back inside the dining hall. "Sifu Hotman, glad to see you're feeling better," the smiling airbender said with a bow. Just as he has done since the beginning of their friendship, he yells, "Don't call me that!" The happy couple giggle but quickly stop after seeing the firebender's golden eyes narrow. "Sorry, Zuko, I do hope you're feeling better. We thought we lost you after the second jug of wine," Aang said trying not to smile. Zuko paused, looking more pale than usual, before speaking firmly, "I'm okay, I just need a minute to warm up. Perhaps some friendly fire, Aang?" The sun had set for the evening while Aang and Katara shared a knowing smile. Her eyes telling her husband "It's okay, stay here". He watched his wife walk into the dining hall when Zuko announced, "Show me what you got on the count of three!" "One..two...three!" The long time friends firebended flames in the palm of their hands. While Zuko's flame was big enough to warm everyone in the dining hall, Aang bended a tiny, flickering flame in the palm of his hand. Zuko scoffed, "What is that?! After all this time, you're still producing these small flames. What's going on?"

Aang looked at his flame with a confused face. He turned to his firebending master and spoke in an agitated tone, "I don't know what you mean. You said fire and I made fire. What's the problem?" Zuko shook his head, almost pitying his friend. "There's nothing else you're worried about? Nothing that happens on the night of the wedding?" the firebender asked. Aang blew a defeated sigh and his flame extinguished. The airbender sat down without a noise and Zuko followed his lead. After a few moments of silence had passed, he spoke to his friend in an almost whisper, "How did you handle the wedding night with Mai?" "I knew he was nervous," Zuko thought, but refrained from smiling. Mirroring Aang's hushed tone, Zuko replied, "I just thought back to the talk Iroh gave me when I started dating Mai. He was more my father than my actual father ever was. When I thought about the wedding night, I thought about how I usually do when I'm firebending. When I firebend, I think about what I want and I feel confident. I'm aware of my power to achieve anything." Aang traded his confused face for a frown and asked, "I never had anyone to talk to about this and I think that's the problem. I was too young when I had Gyatso and the only experienced guys I'm around are related to Katara. Ughhh what am I gonna do?"

Zuko thought for a moment and asked his friend, "Well...um...how much do you know?" Aang's eyebrows furrowed, "I know how it works, Zuko!", then his voice lowered to a whisper, "But, what if it's bad? What if I'm bad? What if she hates it and regrets it? I-" His rambling was cut off by Zuko, "Whoah whoah okay, you need to find your breath". After Aang took a few deep breaths he felt his qi flow freely in his body. He continued, "Listen, I'll tell you what Iroh told me. 'No one is good their first time.'" Aang, still frowning, asked, "How's that supposed to help? Just expect to be bad? No offense, but I thought your Uncle was wise?" He smiled ever so slightly and replied, "He is, but what he meant was don't put pressure on yourself for something that almost nobody gets right the first time. You need to be confident and feel powerful, like when you're firebending. Think about what you desire and how you can make it happen." Aang sat in silence, his face becoming pensive. Suddenly Zuko bends a huge flame in the palm of his hand, pulsating with vitality. After nodding to the airbender to copy him, he says, "Think about what you want and how you want things to be. What do you desire? How do you want Katara to see you? Now, go!" A burst of red, hot flame appeared in the airbender's palm, almost identical to Zuko's. The airbender laughed in exuberant excitement, "Zuko look! I did it!" Zuko, giving a half smile to his friend, slapped Aang on the back in reassurance. "Now, think like THAT and things will go well, even when you might be bad at it. And you probably, definitely will."

Aang's mind turned over the teachings from the monks about power and desire. It felt like everything he had learned was in direct conflict of what it means to be a firebender. He never wanted to desire anything because that would lead to unhappiness. He disliked the idea of power and even has run away from it many times. But then again, Aang wondered, "I will never reach enlightenment because I'm the Avatar." He knew that by being the Avatar, he would have to subscribe to earthly attachments in order to keep balance. He chose Katara over mastering the Avatar State because of his attachment to her. He remembered all of the times he felt pain because of his strong attachment to Katara. He wanted to make her happy and wanted to please her. After this thought came to his mind, he felt energy flowing from his abdomen to the rest of his body. He desired Katara and more importantly, wanted her to desire him. He brought his mind back to the external world. Aang bended water and put out his ball of energy. He smiled at the firebender, "Thanks, Zuko! That helped a lot. I think I'm ready to begin my night as a married man." The friends stood up. Zuko laughed and began to walk inside the dining hall with Aang, "You got this, buddy."

*The next morning*

Katara fluttered her eyes open to see her husband sleeping soundly next to her in their bed. Her eyes followed the amber headboard to where it met Aang's head. Memories of their first night together as husband and wife danced through her mind. She felt exhausted but wanted to feel that way again and again. Resting her head gently on Aang's chest, he squirmed and began to open his eyes. "Oh no, I'm sorry I woke you up," she said with a frown. Aang beamed with a smile, "Don't be sorry. Can I only be woken up by your beautiful face for the rest of my life?" Her cheeks flushed red as she smiled at him. She sighed dreamily, "Is this going to be every day? I think I will die of a sweet tooth if you keep that up." "I will try to make you feel this way every minute of every day. I never want you to forget what you mean to me." Katara's cheeks became almost hot and she could not contain her smile. "I think you're on the right path if last night is any indication. I have never seen you like that except in battle."

Aang's smile faded and became serious, "So...um...are you saying you would do it again?" "Of course I would! That was amazing. I was worried at first from the horror stories I was told, but you made me feel safe. You were caring, strong, and passionate. Where did that come from?" He jokingly rolled his eyes and lifted his nose in the air, "Please, Katara, I'm just a simple monk." Katara burst out laughing into Aang's chest, "I don't think simple monks act like THAT". His aloof facade faded into his usual big grin, "I just thought about you and what you mean to me. I wanted to make you feel how you make me feel every day. You deserve the world." She looked into his grey eyes and kissed him gently. He deepened the kiss. Much to her excitement, the kiss continued for a few minutes. He finally broke away from the kiss, "When I'm with you, I feel like I can do anything. Thank you, Katara. I love you." She continued to stare at her husband with a half-lidded expression. She ran her fingers across Aang's chest and whispered, "I love you, too."


	4. Joy

Joy

Save for his pale blue tattoo running across his shaved head, Aang was completely covered by his emerald green blanket. He was alone and preferred it that way. Every time he tried to expel the air from his lungs, a forceful sob escaped out of his control. His cheeks and the covers were wet from his tears. He felt like he never was going to breathe again. He became aware of the loud, throbbing in his chest. His cries became hoarse, a marked improvement from the huge, silent cries that permeated the room some time before. He didn't know how long he had been in the bed crying uncontrollably. It felt like hours to him and he wanted to be closed off for as long as possible. He was not in his bed and this was not his room. The unnecessarily big room at the Earth King's palace in Ba Sing Sei did nothing to make him feel better. He had lost his last human friend from his time before the War.

Aang knew somewhere deep in the logical part of his brain that Bumi would die sooner rather than later. He died in his sleep at the age of 123, not in a war or a battle or even in a natural disaster. This was supposed to be the most expected way to die. But another part of his brain, the irrational part, wanted Bumi to live forever. He sensed his guilt and selfishness. He loves Katara and her family and everyone he has met in this lifetime, but a big part of him believed that he deserved to have someone who knew him before he was the Avatar. He thought that for being something he never wanted to be, and facing all of the trauma he had faced, that he deserved one friend to remain. He felt even more terrible when his mind flashed to seeing Bumi's casket. For all of the people who have died, this felt like the worst. He didn't actually have to see any of the monks or his other friends from the past die. Going to his funeral, this made it real. He groaned as the door slowly creaked open.

A very pregnant Katara walked in and closed the door. "Aang," she whispered as she sat on their bed. "Katara, please, I don't want to talk about it," he said hoarsely. "I'm not trying to make you talk about it, you'll talk about it when you're ready. I didn't talk to anyone about my mom for a month after she died. No, I came in so you could feel the baby. The baby started kicking," Katara whispered. His breathing sped up as he felt his heart flutter wildly. He pulled the cover away from his face, looking at Katara with red, stingy eyes. "Really, the baby is kicking? Seriously?" a smile crept across his lips but faltered quickly. Noticing this change in expression, Katara hesitantly asked, "Does this not make you happy?" "No! No, of course not. Katara, I-I felt guilty for feeling happy right then. I'm excited that the baby is kicking, but is it wrong to feel happy and someone you love just died?" Aang asked. His wife placed her hands on top of his, resting them warmly. "There's nothing wrong with that. I remember a young monk once telling me to let my anger out, and then let it go. I think the same could be said for grieving. I see that you are in pain and I know that you are angry that he's gone, but only feeling angry and sad won't make you feel better. Find your balance and focus on the now. Take the time to let it out, and then let it go. I truly believe Bumi would agree with that. I don't think he would want you to feel like you can't be happy again," she spoke softly. For the first time since she came in, Aang met his wife's eyes.

"Katara… you're right. I was, am, angry. I felt like I deserved to have my friend stay with me forever. That's not fair to him and that's not right," Aang stated quietly. After a few moments of silence, he kissed his wife on the lips gently. Breaking away from the kiss, he asked calmly, "Can I feel our baby?" Beaming a big smile, she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. He gasped loudly. She noticed color and a smile returning to his face for what seemed like the first time in days. "That was the most amazing thing I have ever felt. I'm so happy to have you...and the baby. Katara, have you thought about any names?" Aang asked. She felt the light return to her and her husband, enveloping them in happiness. "Ummmm, I have had a few but none that I love. How about you?" she asked. He made a crooked smile and asked, "What do you think about Bumi?" "Aang…I think that's a great idea," she said with tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

*1 month later*

Katara cradled Bumi's head and passed him carefully to Aang, making sure his blanket remained snug. He had been waiting to hold his son for so long, but wanted her to spend all of the time she needed with him. Looking into Bumi's eyes, he detected a pull that he had only felt one other time in his life. This emotion appears to be similar to how he feels about Katara, but it was more protective. He knew he never wanted to let him go. He was in love with everything about his son, from his pale blue eyes to his unruly brown hair. He looked from Bumi to his beautiful, exhausted wife. He didn't know how he could ever thank her. "Katara, remember when I held the baby after Serpent's Pass when Appa was missing?" Aang asked. His weary wife looked at her husband, smiling with the memory dancing through her head. "Of course I do! Is this bringing back memories?" she asked. "Yeah, I remember you telling me to not stop caring. For a time about a month ago, I almost did. But I see love and the love of everyone I care about when I look at Bumi. You reminded me of what's important, Katara. What matters is now," he whispered glancing back to his son.

Aang walked over to his wife and kissed her lips, "I love you so much, Katara." She returned his kiss before breaking away, "I love you, too. I'm happy and so tired, I could fall asleep right now. Can you bring Bumi out to everyone? I know they're excited to see him." Giving a smile to his wife, he walked outside the tent into the chilly, autumn air. Hakoda, Sokka, and Suki ran over to Aang. The gust of wind, smiles, and excited murmurs almost knocked him over. "Now, THAT, is a Water Tribe baby. Gonna be a warrior someday like me, I can tell," Sokka said, filled with excitement. Sokka, Aang, and Hakoda laughed, surrounded by the feeling of hope which they had experienced only sparsely in their lives.

Aang gave a crooked smile and warning, "Sokka, I'm happy with that, just no meat please." Pouting with his arms folded across his chest, "Aww Aang, come on, that's not fair! Water Tribe babies need meat!" Suki elbowed Sokka in the ribs, quickly ending his rant to the delight of Aang and Hakoda. "Alright, alright. Can I at least show him how to use a boomerang?" Sokka pleaded with his brother-in-law. Aang sighed, his smile not falling for a minute, "Sure, Sokka. Just a wait a few years, okay?" Sokka jumped in exburenance, hugging his father and his wife in tandem. Aang felt the joy he had thought he lost a month ago. He reminded himself that love never goes away because of its energy, which is then reborn into new love. He was so grateful for the family he has now. He felt weightless.


	5. Expression

Expression

Cerulean eyes struggle to be known to the world between rapid blinking. Swirling, sparkling pools of sky blue attempt to pierce through the darkness of the room. A near silent groan made by Katara almost ruined her son's long awaited rest. That was a close one, I don't know what I would've done if Bumi woke up, she thought. She swayed in effortless waves while cradling Bumi to her chest. She was hopeful that her 5 month-old son would finally fall asleep. After noticing the child's slowed breathing, she carefully laid him down in his crib. Taking a cue from her husband, she fluidly walked out of the nursery nearly light as air.

She continued these silent footsteps until she reached her bed with her adorably sleeping husband. She moved swiftly under the covers making sure to not wake Aang. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she cursed her husband's ability to notice the shifts in weight in their bed. "Mmm...Katara….sweetie, did you get up again? Why didn't you wake me?", he asked amidst his yawns. Katara forced a tired smile, "It's fine, you have a big meeting tomorrow and you need your rest. Don't worry, it's all a part of the job." His face has a confused look. He wasn't sure if she was lying to herself or to him. He decided to not press the issue so he could let his beautiful wife rest, but wanted to bring it up tomorrow. "Okay...but I'm serious, next time,", he yawned, "Please wake me! I want to help."

She could see the earnest and compassionate expression in her husband's face. She asked herself, I know he has the best intentions, but how could I tell him how I really feel? She couldn't do that to him, not when he has the whole world on his shoulders. It will just be a few months until Bumi's sleep schedule becomes more consistent and this will be over, she reassured herself. She could handle it but she knew she would have to placate him to make him drop it. "Okay, sweetie. You're right. I'll ask you next time." Aang didn't feel completely convinced by her answer, but they were both exhausted, so he let it go. They were undisturbed for the rest of the night and both parents were extremely grateful.

As the sun rose and illuminated the house on Air Temple Island, Aang was up meditating in the grass behind their home. After feeling lighter than air from the meditation, he strutted and hummed his way into the kitchen, not feeling this refreshed since before the baby came. He made some jasmine tea, seaweed soup, and cut up fresh melon for himself and his wife. Having a thought of bringing breakfast to his wife in bed, he darted around the kitchen placing all of the items on a tray. He glided into their bedroom only to find the bed empty. He frowned but figured she was with Bumi. Quickly turning on his heels, he zipped to the nursery. As he walked in, he stood frozen at the sight before him. His wife in their rocking chair while cradling their son against her chest. It would have been a perfect memory to capture except for the tears running down his wife's face.

Katara was restful but not quite asleep. Aang softly placed her breakfast tray on the nightstand and walked over to his wife. He lightly kissed her forehead, startling her. "Oh! Oh, Aang, I must have dozed off rocking him back to sleep after his feeding," she stated with a raspy voice. Upon closer inspection, he became aware of the dark circles under her eyes. She didn't look like herself and he didn't like it. "Sweetie...are you okay?" After a few uneasy moments, she decided to speak with a dismissive statement, but a loud sob came through instead. This wasn't a cry that manifested from a poor night's rest or even having a bad day, this was something more pervasive. He felt a punch to his gut when his wife began to sob. It was loud, messy, and couldn't be stopped as much as she wished it could. He recognized this couldn't be mended with breakfast in bed, this was depression.

Aang became relieved briefly at Bumi's remarkably deep sleep and swiftly placed him in the crib. It was now Katara's turn to be held. Picking her up bridal style, he carried her to their room and gently placed her on the bed. He laid down next to his crying wife, cradling her, with her head on his chest. He cleared his throat as he stroked her hair, "Please tell me what's wrong. I want to help. I know something is wrong. I wish you would just tell me. I don't care how bad it hurts, I want the truth." Her crying stopped on the word "truth". Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down enough to force words out into the air. "Aang...I'm so sorry. I thought I could do all of this on my own. I told myself that I would take care of Bumi so you could focus on the world and Avatar duties. I didn't want that burden on you." She sighed and looked at her husband. She saw her husband looking at her with softened eyes, hinting for her to continue. "At first it wasn't too bad. I was enjoying spending time with him and I felt so happy. But then I started to feel lonely, like really lonely. It didn't make any sense. Why did I feel so lonely when I had a baby? How can a mother feel lonely? I...I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to see me as a bad mother."

Another gut punch in Aang's stomach. He couldn't believe it. He did not understand how she could possibly think she was a bad mother. He started to feel guilty for not seeing the signs earlier. He knew she was off but thought she was just tired. "Katara, you are not a bad mother! I see your hard work every day and I love you so much. I feel like chopped liver when I try to play with Bumi, all he wants is you. You are one of the most selfless and caring people I have ever met. I remember how you took care of us in the desert and I don't think you drank any water at all. I don't want you to do that anymore. Don't set yourself on fire to keep others warm." Her tears stopped and breathing returned to normal. She smiled at her husband, "I'm glad you don't think that. It really does make me feel better, but...what happens now? You'll have to go away today and sometimes for weeks at a time. We both have our responsibilities to uphold."

Aang reached his hand to her cheek, stroking her face with his thumb. "I was born to have the whole world on my shoulders but that doesn't mean that you feel that responsibility, too. No one raises a child alone, Katara, and I would never ask that of you. Part of me blames myself for not asking more questions or being more decisive about when I wanted to take him." Katara reached her hand up to meet his, "You were asking the right questions and I know you care, don't blame yourself. I should've been more open about what I needed, though. I just felt this guilt every time I fantasized about being alone. I never want to turn my back on people who need me."

Aang removed his hand and brought Katara back into his arms with her head on his chest. "Oh, Katara," he stroked her hair, "I think a lot of parents fantasize about being alone sometimes. Asking for help doesn't mean you're failing. We can find someone to come over to help if I'm ever gonna for more than a day. Suki is always offering to babysit. I still have connections in Ba Sing Se, how about a spa day?" She laughed into his chest, "You have connections everywhere you go, Mr. Avatar!" His heart fluttered as his wife's laugh. He didn't realize until that moment that her laugh has been gone for much too long. "Sure, a spa day would be great. Maybe I can get Toph to come, I'm sure she would love another pedicure," she said with a laugh. He laughed brightly, "Oh, man, I need to sneak by just to hear Toph's reaction when you tell her!"

She continued to tell him about Toph on their spa day Ba Sing Se where more than a few people got bodily injured by the earthbending master. After their laughter subsided, the couple sighed blissfully. Katara absentmindedly stroked Aang's arm and looked up into his stormy gray eyes, "Again, I'm sorry. I promise to try sharing what I need with you more often. It's hard, you know, taking care of everyone. I forget I need to take care of myself as well." He leaned down to kiss her just as Bumi began to cry loudly down the hall. Before she could move an inch, he airbended out of the bed with a grin on his face. "A-ha! I'll get him and your breakfast, too. Rest!" His wife smiled at her thoughtful husband. Her mind began to imagine what he made for breakfast as he exited the room but all too quickly she was falling asleep. This time she didn't fight it.


	6. Intuition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ages of the family here: Aang (34), Katara (36), Bumi (10), Kya (5), and Tenzin (2).

Intuition

The chattering of the people at the stalls filled the open marketplace. These were the kind of days that made Aang smile the most. People moving in the open air. A symphony of individuals from all walks of life coming together to get what they need. He loved to see life continuing after so many years of death and destruction. He walked leisurely with his wife and three children through Republic City's marketplace in the hope that they would all get what they desired. Katara kept the household kitchen organized, so she was interested in stocking up as a home of five quickly devoured any food in the home.

Bumi, much to his parents dismay, was very fond of warrior items and excitedly ran to the stall with tools and weapons. Kya sprinted towards the stall with hundreds of books with a quick "I'm going over there!" Tenzin was just happy to be sat upon his dad's shoulders. Aang echoed his youngest son's motivation for going to the marketplace. They both seemed to love new adventures and the freedom of outdoors. Katara smiled at the sight of her distinguished and older looking husband bouncing and singing their toddler on his shoulders. She gasped at the view of a fruit stall and motioned for her husband to follow.

The woman behind the fruit stand appeared to be in her 50's or 60's and smelled of lavender. Her kind eyes opened widely at the sight of the family approaching her stall. "Oh, Avatar Aang and Master Katara. I'm so honored," she said with a timid bow. Waving the formalities away, Aang replied, "Please, just 'Aang'. Also, we are honored as well. It looks like you have many different kinds of fruit here. Some are even pretty exotic." Tenzin reached out his hands to his mom, asking to be held by her. She then leaned over the rows of fruit as she walked with Tenzin on her hip, inspecting them to make sure they were up to her standard. Her eyes widened at the ripe apples, oranges, watermelon, and even blueberries, which were difficult to find in Republic City. A slight impulsiveness overtook the older woman as she blurted out to Aang, "So, you're not the last airbender I see. You must be proud!"

Katara stopped what she was doing and turned to look at her husband as if he knew something she didn't. Fortunately for him, he shared his wife's confused look and frowned at the older woman. "He's only two. We don't know if he's an airbender yet or even if he is a bender at all. Sometimes bending abilities don't show up until as late as 5. I am curious though, what makes you think he's an airbender?" The older woman continued to smile, still surprised by the Avatar's illusion surrounding his son, "Oh, I'm sorry if I overstepped, I just assumed you knew. I could feel the energy in your aura, it has specks of green, which is pretty uncommon for non-airbenders. I wasn't sure until your little one moved away. I sense the green auras on both of you right now, with your son's being very large" The couple remained dumbfounded with mouths wide open in surprise. Aang was the first to respond, "Well...that's certainly an interesting theory. No one really knows for sure how to predict bending but that is something to consider." Aang paid for the fruit in a heavy silence and began to walk around scanning the crowd for their other children.

Tenzin's squealing and laughter masked the tension between the couple as they walked over to where Bumi was playing with children in a park. Katara asked her husband a question that has been hanging in the air but unsaid. "Do...you think there was any truth to that? That-um-Tenzin could be an airbender?" She tried to get a good read on her husband's face but failed. Aang's face was scrunched but his eyes remained kind and soft. "I really don't know, Katara. I have never known any other way to tell about bending besides it just happening one day. I try not to overtly look for signs because that can lead to disappointment. All I care about is that our kids are healthy and loved. But..", Aang came to a thoughtful pause. He glanced away from Katara briefly before returning to her eyes. "I think I might be curious to find out. Maybe I can meditate and gain some knowledge from one of my past lives or something."

Aang had a knot in his stomach while waiting for his wife to respond. He didn't know why he thought she might be angry about this. "Aang, I think that's a great idea. Maybe you'll get answers and maybe not. But I think you have to try." With an encouraging smile from his wife, he beamed at her and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. "Oogies!" laughed Bumi as he began to run to his parents. Tenzin, securely held by his mother, lifted up his arms in excitement "Oogies, mommy!" The couple rolled their eyes and laughed at how fast the word "oogie" spread amongst their family. The family pried Kya away from another book stall as they all began to walk home, with Aang carrying more than a handful of books.

In their home, Tenzin was successfully napping from the adventure at the marketplace. Kya and Katara practiced waterbending beginning stances in complete view of Bumi sharpening his tools. Aang nodded to Katara with a knowing look that he would be undisturbed for a while. After lighting incense and placing his spiritual beads around his neck, Aang folded his legs into lotus position. Feeling himself leave his physical body, he was soon standing next to Avatar Yangchen. "Hello, Avatar Aang, what can I help you with?", she questioned the young airbender. "Avatar Yangchen, thank you for answering. I was wondering if you have heard of a way of sensing if someone is a bender or not?" Avatar Yangchen smiled and answered, "I assume you are asking about your youngest son." Aang nodded and asked, "Yes, I was told today by a stranger that she could see his aura, and it was similar to mine. Have you heard of that before?" She replied, "Yes, it is a very old way to determine a bender. It is from when humans used to bend the energy in themselves. The air chakra is green, which permeates your aura and Tenzin's. Even Though you cannot see it, I believe you sensed it. Your son's name is a common Air Nomad name, after all."

Aang was silent for a few moments, processing what he had just heard. "I guess that makes sense. As soon as I met him, I knew. I knew his name was Tenzin. It just felt right, and I never questioned it," he said. Avatar Yangchen smiled and said, "You were listening to your instincts, Avatar Aang. The universe has a way of telling us the truth in nondirective ways. With Tenzin's help, in his lifetime he will see the Air Nomads repopulated greatly and the world will be balanced again." He remained deep in thought for a moment. He didn't know what to say, but he knew he needed to talk to Katara. Aang bowed respectfully before leaving, "Thank you for your wisdom, Avatar Yangchen."

Aang came out of his meditative state and walked out of his bedroom in search of Katara. He found her outside, sweaty but encouraging their daughter in her waterbending stances. "Good job, Kya. You're getting so good! How about we take a break and you play with Bumi?" As Kya screamed and rushed her older brother in a sneak attack, Katara walked over to Aang. She wrapped her arms tightly around Aang, resting her head on her shoulders. "That woman at the fruit stall was right, Katara. Avatar Yangchen told me reading auras is an old way to determine if someone is a bender. She confirmed that Tenzin will be an airbender and he will see the Air Nomads repopulated in his lifetime" he said softly, almost not wanting to get his hopes up.

Katara pulled away and kissed him on the lips, "Wow, that's great news! I'm so happy for you, Aang. How are you feeling about it?" He smiled with a hint of hesitation, "I am excited and happy. But, we haven't seen any bending yet. I'm just...worried. What if it's too good to be true?" "I would worry if it was just the older woman, but the revelation came from two people. One was a stranger so, yeah, kind of weird, but her story was confirmed by Avatar Yangchen! I think you told me once that spirits and energy transcend time so it's not impossible to see the future. Maybe trust your intuition? Not everything is logical. You should know that, simple monk." He laughed before stating, "You're right, Katara. My heart says it's true and I think I have known it since he was born, somehow. I guess we'll see what happens." Just as the couple began to hug, they're attention was turned towards the window of Tenzin's nursery. Tenzin was squealing in excitement as he was airbending his blanket above his crib.

Katara's heart fluttered as she squeezed her husband's hand. "Aang…", she whispered. He didn't say anything. Tears rolled down his face as he stared at the window. He leaned his weight into his wife's shoulder, hugging her close. Years of shame and sadness that have haunted him, now lifting from his mind. His heart leapt as he sighed into her shoulder. Although he had left the thoughts of shame for running away behind him so many years ago, it never felt truly gone. Sometimes, every once in a while, a pang of regret would appear in his thoughts. He always rationalized it and mindfully remembered to tell himself that it wasn't his fault. But the thoughts never stopped completely. He did not tell anyone this, not even Katara. He imagined the little piece of shame and regret he still carried leaving his body in a cloud of black smoke. Those thoughts never appeared again.


	7. Wisdom

Wisdom

Katara's deep sleep was interrupted by a pounding headache. Every thump of blood in her skull elicited a groan from the waterbender. She grimaced at the bright light illuminating her bedroom. She didn't know where Aang was, how long she'd slept, or if it was morning or afternoon. All she knew was that she felt terrible and dehydrated. A groan emitted from her throat at the sight of the empty water glass on their bedside table.

Every muscle in her body ached as she willed herself to sit up. With what seemed like an hour, she finally trudged into their living room. Everything was quiet and still, an unusual sight for a house full of children. "They must be a school, this could be the afternoon," she thought. As Katara sluggishly walked through the living room, memories came flooding back to her mind in waves. She remembered the excitement she felt when she saw her son's letter but also the pang in her heart as she read it.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm having a great time at the South Pole! In my training with Aunt Suki, I even came close to beating her a few times! She says she misses you both and hopes to see you when she's in Republic City next week with Uncle Sokka for the Council meeting. Uncle Sokka said to tell Dad "Miss ya buddy" and Mom to "stay out of trouble little sis" but I can tell he misses you by asking a lot of questions every hour about you. Granddad sends his love and wants to stay with you for a little bit in the next month or so. He said you'd appreciate the help, whatever that means.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that ice dodging was awesome! I wish you both could've been there, but I know you have Tenzin and Kya, and the whole "saving the world" thing. Granddad gave me the Mark of the Wise, just like Uncle Sokka got! I also accepted Aunt Suki's offer to stay here and train with her and Uncle Sokka. They said I had to tell you about it first. I need to travel and Uncle Sokka said I can go with them on trips. I love you both so much, but I need to do this for me. Please don't be mad. Tell Tenzin and Kya they better not touch any of my stuff!

Hope you can visit soon,

Bumi

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror in the bathroom. Her eyes were red and painful from crying herself to sleep. Her hair was in a messy plait and her face was puffy. Sighing while turning away to continue to the kitchen, she heard the front door of their home open. She turned around with a smile hoping she would find her eldest back home. Her smile faltered at the missing hole in the family walking towards her. Her husband, Tenzin, and Kya all in tow, but no Bumi.

She forced another smile so as to not make her family feel bad, peppering them with loud animated kisses on their cheeks. Her kiss on her husband's lips lingered for a few moments before she broke away. Aang asked, "Kids, why don't you go to your rooms and get changed out of your school clothes?" Kya looked like she was going to object when her younger brother stood his ground. "Kya, come on! I'll let you freeze me later." Kya couldn't turn down a chance to immobilize her dorky brother and ran to her room with Tenzin following. Aang failed to squelch a quiet laugh at Tenzin taking the role of the stern, older brother. His happiness was quickly replaced with a frown as he looked at his wife.

He placed a soft yet firm hand on his wife's waist, securing her in a safe embrace. "I know, I miss him too." At that moment, Katara looked up to her husband with a scowl. He was initially hopeful which swiftly changed to apprehension. It mustered all of her strength not to let their children hear her upset, "If you miss him so much, why didn't you try to do anything to stop him? He's only fourteen, he can't just think staying somewhere and sending a letter is okay!" Aang sighed, "Katara, first of all, it's not fair to say I don't miss him. I've been thinking about him constantly. But you can't honestly say you're surprised. Personality wise, he's the most Air Nomad out of the three of them. He never wanted to sit still or be in one place for too long. You know his boundless energy needs to be focused and this will help." He looked over to the rigid waterbender to wait for a reply. After a few moments of silence, he continued while trying to remain calm, "Also, he's a man in the eyes of the Water Tribe, Katara. He's finished school and doesn't really have anything tying him here. He's as old as you were when you left home and thankfully there's not a war going on. He'll be with Sokka and Suki and your Dad. He'll be fine. Just because I understand him, doesn't mean I don't miss him any less than you do."

Katara felt another twinge go through her heart. The memory of the time she angrily told Sokka he didn't miss their mom as much as she did appeared in her mind. Never in her life had she wanted to take anything back as much as that. Her scowl turned into a frown. Her eyes remained glossed over and filled with sadness. She abruptly threw her arms around Aang and hugged him close. He jumped at the contact, not expecting the embrace but loved her touch all the same. She spoke in a whisper, "I'm so...sorry Aang. I know you miss him, of course you do. I'm just hurt and I feel like I failed." Aang released from the hug to look at his beautiful wife. "Failed? What makes you say that?", he asked. She met his eyes and sighed, "Uh, it's not exactly a good sign when your kid leaves home and only sends a note telling you they're not coming back. Somewhere I think I messed up as a parent. No one in the South Pole left except for war. Even then, I couldn't get over my Dad leaving. It felt like he didn't care, like he didn't love us. I needed him…" She wobbled as she sat down on the couch. Aang sat next to her and nodded for her to continue.

"I think that just like Dad, some part of me needs Bumi. He's our first child. He was the reason I became 'Mom' and barely hear 'Katara' anymore," she laughed, "He needed me for so long and now there's an emptiness inside," she sniffled as tears began to fall from her eyes. "He doesn't need me now. And it's only a matter of time before there are no more kids here. You know Kya is such a nomad, she'll be gone when she can, too. Tenzin is more similar to me but I know he'll want to live at a Temple and I won't be ready for that."

She rubbed her dry lips together as she looked over at Aang. Taking notice of how he has become this handsome husband and father. So many times growing up she was his rock, his constant. However, since having children, she finds herself needing the unwavering comfort more than ever. Her eyes travelled over his chiseled features and a beard where his baby face once was. She watched her husband move for the first time in several minutes. Aang bended water from the large pouch in the kitchen and poured it into a glass on the table. He handed the glass to her without taking his eyes off her.

Katara gulped the water graciously. Aang placed both of his hands on her free hand. "You will always be 'Katara' to me. 'Mom' is who you are, yes, but you're still the greatest Master Waterbender on Earth. You're one of the best fighters I have ever seen. You're a sister, a daughter, a healer, and the love of my life. You're my best friend." After finishing the water, she blushed while a smile formed on her face. He loved that after 25 years together, he could still make her blush. "Remember when Guru Pathik was teaching me to let go of my earthly attachment to master the Avatar State? As you know, I didn't want to let go of you because I didn't understand how I could ever let go of you." Katara nodded in agreement and looked at Aang to continue.

"I came to learn years later that what I thought had been all wrong. He wasn't saying to not have attachments to people, but instead to understand how attachment can hinder our growth if we let it consume us. Everything and everyone is connected. Just because Bumi is not here, doesn't mean he doesn't love or need you. You will always be a mom, even when our kids don't live here anymore. Know that you will be forever connected with them and with me. Love can transcend lifetimes." Katara rested her head on Aang's shoulder as he stroked her hair. They rested in silence for a few minutes before Katara asked, "Do you think I'll see you in the next lifetime? Are we destined to find each other over and over again?"

Aang kissed her forehead and replied, "Yes, I do. I know we are connected by fate. Like I said before, I will always find you, no matter where you are. Whether it's in this lifetime or the next." The couple smiled as they breathed into each other slowly and deeply. "But how do you know for certain, oh, wise, Avatar?", she joked. His gray eyes became serious as they met her cerulean eyes, "Well, Gyasto was one of Avatar Roku's best friends. I don't think it was a coincidence that Gyatso and I became very close. I felt like I knew him way before I knew anything about their friendship. The invisible strings that tie us all I guess," he said with a chuckle. She kissed her husband softly on the cheek and leaned back to absorb this moment completely. "You better find me in the next lifetime, Aang. I'll be waiting, just like I was 26 years ago."


End file.
